THE box-office success of Magic Mike breathed life into the male stripper industry but Dave Hughes shook his money-maker way before Channing Tatum gave it a crack.
The oldest of the Sydney Hot Shots at 38 years old, Hughes first started professionally removing his clothes for a crowd of screaming women at 19.
“My brother did it first, he worked for Manpower,” he said.
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READ NOW“In high school it was a joke and I’d give the girls a lap dance, but it was bizarre that I did it full-time.
“I didn’t think I would do it for this long.”
Hughes took his career as far as Las Vegas, where he performed for 10 years on the iconic strip before coming back to Australia.
Now he hosts more than he dances, but said the shows on the 2017 tour were the best.
“It came back in vogue after Magic Mike came out but we also got saturated with a lot of crap,” he said.
“We have a good calibre now; we have a great show with new routines.”
One of the many stops on the tour is Mt Hawthorn’s Paddington Ale House tonight.
“This tour has been intense, a lot of driving,” Hughes said.
“We still get time to relax and go to the gym though.”
What: Sydney Hot Shots When: Thursday, June 8 from 8pm – 10pm Where: Paddington Ale House, 141 Scarborough Beach Road, Mt Hawthorn Tickets: $30 at 9242 3077
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